Antenna bracket and antenna



July 12, 1938. .1. l.. en MoRE ANTENNA BRACKET AND ANTENNA Filed Feb. 9, 1937 Patented `luly 12, 1938 UNTED STATLES QFFICE 3 Claims.

lIhe object of my present invention is to provide a novel and efficient type of bracket for supporting staff antennas.

It is my purpose to provide the combination oi' a staff antenna and a means for holding the antenna comprising a resilient insulating sleeve preferably of substantial thickness, and a clamp or bracket for locking the sleeve on the antenna and adapted to be mounted on some sort of support.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my antenna bracket and antenna, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a staif antenna and means for supporting the same of the kind particularly adapted to be mounted on a bumper bar, such a bar being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bracket with the bolts and nuts omitted.

Figure 3 is a detail, sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a top or plan view of part of the clamp, illustrating the manner in which the sleeve of insulation is compressed between clamp members.

Figure 5 is an enlarged, side elevation of the clamp and associated elements, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section, the sleeve which covers up the joint between the staiT member antenna and the conducting wire being shown in its position just before final assembly.

Figure 6 is a vertical, sectional view of the lower portion of part of the clamp and associated elements of Figure 5, showing the sleeve in place at the joint or point of connection between the conductor and the staif member of the antenna.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of another staff antenna, having a different form of bracket.

Figure 8 is a front elevation of the bracket and parts shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a detail, sectional View taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 7.

In Figures l to 6, I have illustrated a stati type of antenna with one form of bracket, while in Figures 7 to 9, I have shown the same staff antenna with another form of bracket. I have used the two forms of bracket to illustrate the fact that several types of brackets may be used (Cl. Z50- 33) and to emphasize the certain common features which they may have.

I will iirst describe the device as illustrated in Figures l to 6, where I have shown a bracket intended to be used for mounting the antenna on the bumper bar cf an automobile.

I have shown in Figure 2 the parts of the bracket (except the bolts and nuts). The bracket now under consideration comprises a pair of plates lil and il. rlhese are ordinary flat plates. Approximately midway between its side edges, each of the plates l and li has a channelshaped portion l2 and I3 respectively, pressed out, so that when the plates are placed together the portions l2 and i3 form substantially a cylinder.

The plates l and ll may be fastened together in any way. I have shown them connected here by rivets lli.

I use with the plates it and Il a plate i5, which is substantially similar to the plate I.

I preferably mount the bracket now under consideration on a bar i6 of an automobile bumper, by placing the plate i@ on one side and the plate i5 on the other side of the bar I6 and fastening the plates together by means of bolts Il and nuts I8 with suitable lock washers i9, if desired. The plate i5 has a rib 15a` to reinforce it against undesired bending when the nuts i8 are tightened on the bolts I'l. l

I provide a staff 2@ forming part of an antenna which may have the sections a, 2Gb, and 20c, detachably telescopically connected. The section 2da., for example, is formed of a tubular member. 'Ielescoped on the lower end of the member 2M is a member Zd., the lower end of which is partially closed as at 2l.

The cross sectional area of the end 28d is about the same as the cross sectional area of the section 2M and at the place where the two members telescope, the end of 20d is enlarged slightly as at 22 to receive the end of 2M. This leaves a slight enlargement at the joint, which will again be referred to.

It is desirable that the antenna staif should be insulated from the clamp by which it is supported.

I have tried Various means but have found that a rather thick rubber sleeve 23 is satisfactory, practically and commercially. A thin rubber sleeve is not so good for the purpose.

I have therefore mounted on the lower end of the antenna staff, the insulation sleeve 23, preferably made of rubber. It fits snugly on the lower end of the staff and the lower end of the staff preferably projects below the sleeve 23 slightly.

The purpose of having the antenna staff project below the sleeve 23 is tomake it more convenient to solder the conductor to such lower Y end in the process of manufacturing the antenna.

In assembling the parts, the thick rubber sleeve 23 is slipped onto the lower end of the staff and is then placed between the two portions I2 and I3 of the clamp plates I0 and II.

The parts are so proportioned that when the sleeve 23 is snugly gripped between the channelshaped parts I2 and I3 of the plates I Il and II, the plates do not quite t together. Their position, somewhat exaggerated, is illustrated in full lines in Figure 4. The plates are then gripped tightly together to compress the sleeve 23 and the rivets I4 are inserted.

It will be understood that the clamp is of somewhat resilient material so as to take care of the slight bulge that occurs at D on account of the enlargement in the staff at 22.

It will also be seen that on account of that enlargement and the very tight grip, which will occur in the region of that enlargement and the tendency of the sleeve 23 to form a corresponding bulge, and the tendency of the clamp members to have a slight bulge at that point, there is a very ne clamping action which holds the sleeve 23 in the clamp members and holds the staif from sliding in the rubber sleeve.

The wire 2G of an insulated conductor is fastened to the lower end of the portion 20d by solder 25.

It is important to prevent sharp bends at the point where this soldered joint is provided, and it is also important to insulate the lower projecting end of the member 26d. I therefore put a thinner rubber sleeve 26 over the parts at such soldered joint, and t it up snugly to the sleeve 23. The clamp members I0 and II carrying the sleeve 23 and the antenna may then be mounted on an automobile bumper bar I6, as already explained, by gripping the bar between the member II'I and the clamp member I5.

Preferably I mount the antenna on a hori- V zontal bar which is arranged between the upper and lower bolts ITI, all as illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 5.

In Figures '7 to 9 inclusive, I have shown a different form of bracket, which is intended to be mounted on the side of a house or the like. In this form of bracket, there is provided a split tube 2l about half of which is cut away at the lower end as indicated at 28. The portion 28 forms a channel-shaped portion which is bent at an angle to the tube 2l and has its face ilattened as indicated at 29 to t against the wall of a house 30.

Where this type of bracket is used, the sleeve 23 with the lower part of the antenna received therein, as already explained, is inserted rather loosely into this split tube 21 and thereupon the tube is put into a press and gripped tightly around the sleeve 23.

The split tube 2l is of somewhat resilient material and is, of course, bendable, so that when the split sleeve 2'! is gripped around the sleeve 23, a slight bulge is left as atZTa. Here again, the sleeve 23 will thus be held very tightly in the clamp.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a longitudinal movement.

stai for an antenna, which has the tubular members 20a and 20h and the bulged portion 22, so that when the resilient rubber or insulation sleeve 23 is installed in place on the lower end of the staff, the bulge tends to hold the stafl` in place in the sleeve against a relative 'Ihen when the somewhat resilient clamp member is gripped on the sleeve 23, a corresponding bulge tends to be formed in the clamp member, so that the clamp member and the insulation sleeve and the stai are thus rmly locked together against any relative sliding movement.

The rubber sleeve 23 not only serves as insulation but also aiords a mounting for the lower end of the staff that has somegive, which is desirable, in any type of staff antenna.

It will, of course, be understood that the clamp plates have suitable holes 3B for bolts, and the member 23 has the holes 3| for screws 32.

It will be observed also that the portion 24 functions to protect in a further way the joint between the conductor 24 and the stai 20.

It is further to be observed that while the sleeve 26 protects the joint between the conductor and the stair as against sharp bends, it also serves as insulation for the lower end of the staff, and its construction is such that it is stretched around the lower end of the staff, iso that it will then hold its position against accidental sliding movement. It can be pushed up to snugly engage the lower end of the sleeve 23, so as to leave no exposure of the antenna between the two sleeves, and yet it can be readily slid away lengthwise of the conductor to expose the joint between theA conductor and the stai when that is desirable.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a sta antenna structure, a staff tubular in form having a bulge near its lower end, a

resilient insulating sleeve on the lower end of the staff around said bulge, a clamp receiving said sleeve and compressing it on the staff with the lower end of the staff projecting from the sleeve, said clamp having means for mounting it on a support, a conductor connected to the lower endl..

of the stan, and a resilient sleeve covering the joint between the conductor and the stai and engaging said first sleeve to leave no exposure of the antenna between the two sleeves.

2. In a staif antenna structure, a staiT, a resilient insulating sleeve on the lower end of the staff, a clamp receiving said sleeve and compressing it on the staff, said clamp having means for mounting it on a support, a conductor connected to the lower end of the staff, and a resilient sleeve covering the joint between the conductor and the staff and engaging said rst sleeve to leave no exposure of the antenna between the two sleeves.

3. In a staff antenna structure, a staff, a resilient insulating sleeve on the lower end of the` staff, a clamp receiving said sleeve and compressing it on the staif with the lower end of the staff projecting from the sleeve, said clamp having means for mounting it on a support, a conductor connected to the lower end of the stai, said con-2j ductor being of less diameter than the staff, and a resilient sleeve covering the joint between the conductor and the staff and stretched tightly enough on the staff to prevent accidental removal, and engaging said rst sleeve to leave no 370 exposure of the antenna between the two sleeves.

J OHN L. GILMORE. 

